Vehicular interior cabin lighting system selectively operable for DMS and OMS functions

ABSTRACT

A vehicular cabin monitoring system includes a mirror head adjustably attached at a mounting structure configured to attach at an interior portion of a vehicle. The minor head accommodates a camera and a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) connected in series with each other. A switch is operable in an open state, where current provided by a current driver passes through each individual LED of the plurality of LEDs, and a closed state, where current provided by the current driver passes through a first subset of LEDs of the plurality of LEDs and bypasses a second subset of LEDs of the plurality of LEDs. The switch operates in the open state when the camera captures image data for a first vehicular function, such as occupant monitoring, and operates in the closed state when the camera captures image data for a second vehicular function, such as driver monitoring.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is a 371 U.S. National Stage filing of PCTApplication No. PCT/US2022/075887, filed Sep. 2, 2022, which claims thefiling benefits of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63/260,884,filed Sep. 3, 2021, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference inits entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a vehicle vision system for avehicle and, more particularly, to a vehicle vision system that utilizesone or more cameras at a vehicle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Use of imaging sensors in vehicle imaging systems is common and known.Examples of such known systems are described in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,949,331; 5,670,935 and/or 5,550,677, which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A cabin monitoring system or driving assistance system or vision systemor imaging system for a vehicle utilizes one or more cameras (preferablyone or more CMOS cameras) to capture image data. The system may includea mirror head adjustably attached at a mounting structure or base. Themounting structure is configured to attach at an interior portion of avehicle. A camera is accommodated by the mirror head. A plurality oflight emitting diodes (LEDs) is accommodated by the mirror head. Theplurality of LEDs are connected in series with each other. The systemincludes a current driver that is configured to provide current to theplurality of LEDs. The system includes a switch that has an open stateand a closed state. When the switch is in the open state, currentprovided by the current driver passes through each of the plurality ofLEDs. When the switch is in the closed state, current provided by thecurrent driver passes through a first portion or set or subset of theplurality of LEDs and bypasses a second portion or set or subset of theLEDs. The first portion of the LEDs is different than the second portionof LEDs. The system also includes an electronic control unit (ECU) thatincludes electronic circuitry and associated software. The electroniccircuitry of the ECU includes an image processor for processing imagedata captured by the camera. The ECU places the switch into the openstate when the camera captures image data for a first vehicularfunction. The ECU places the switch into the closed state when thecamera captures image data for a second vehicular function.

These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of thepresent invention will become apparent upon review of the followingspecification in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an interior rearview mirror assemblyhaving a driver monitoring camera and a near infrared light emitterbehind a reflective element of the interior rearview mirror assembly;

FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the interior rearview mirrorassembly, showing the driver monitoring camera and light emitterswithout the reflective element;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a lighting system of the assembly of FIG.1 ;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the interior rearview mirrorassembly;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the portion of the mirror head thataccommodates the near infrared light emitters, with the near infraredlight emitters comprising narrow beam emitters and wider beam emitters;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are plan views of other mirror heads of the interiorrearview mirror assembly;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the portion of the mirror head thataccommodates the near infrared light emitters, with two narrow beamemitters, one for illuminating a driver's head of a left hand drivevehicle and the other for illuminating a driver's head of a right handdrive vehicle;

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of the controller for controlling the DMSlight emitters;

FIG. 10 shows graphs of the LED control sequence when the mirrorassembly is installed in a left hand drive vehicle;

FIG. 11 shows graphs of the LED control sequence when the mirrorassembly is installed in a right hand drive vehicle; and

FIGS. 12A-E show different locations for the wFOV and nFOV near-IRilluminators at a mirror head for the One-Box Interior DMS RearviewMirror Assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A vehicle vision system and/or driver or driving assist system and/orlighting system and/or driver or occupant monitoring system operates tocapture images interior and/or exterior of the vehicle and may processthe captured image data to display images and to detect objects at ornear or within the vehicle to assist a driver or other occupants of thevehicle. The vision system includes an image processor or imageprocessing system that is operable to receive image data from one ormore cameras and may provide an output to a display device fordisplaying images representative of the captured image data. Optionally,the vision system may provide display, such as a rearview display or atop down or bird's eye or surround view display or the like.

Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depictedtherein, in some implementations, an interior rearview mirror assembly10 for a vehicle includes a casing 12 and a reflective element 14positioned at a front portion of the casing 12 (FIG. 1 ). In theillustrated embodiment, the mirror assembly 10 is configured to beadjustably mounted to an interior portion of a vehicle (such as to aninterior or in-cabin surface of a vehicle windshield or a headliner of avehicle or the like) via a mounting structure or mounting configurationor assembly 16. The mirror reflective element may comprise a variablereflectance mirror reflective element that varies its reflectanceresponsive to electrical current applied to conductive coatings orlayers of the reflective element.

The mirror assembly 10 includes or is associated with a drivermonitoring system (DMS), with the mirror assembly comprising adriver/occupant monitoring camera 18 disposed at a back plate 20 (andviewing through an aperture of the back plate) behind the reflectiveelement 14 and viewing through the reflective element toward at least ahead region of the driver of the vehicle (FIG. 2 ). The DMS includes oneor more infrared (IR) or near infrared (NIR) light emitter(s) 24, whichmay be disposed at the back plate 20 and may light through anotheraperture of the back plate and through the reflective element.

The mirror assembly 10 includes a printed circuit board (PCB) having acontrol or control unit comprising electronic circuitry (e.g., disposedat the circuit board or substrate in the mirror casing), which includesdriver circuitry for controlling dimming of the mirror reflectiveelement. The circuit board (or a separate DMS circuit board) includes aprocessor that processes image data captured by the camera 18 formonitoring the driver and determining, for example, driver attentivenessand/or driver drowsiness. The driver monitoring system includes thedriver monitoring camera 18 and may also include an occupant monitoringcamera (or the driver monitoring camera may have a sufficiently widefield of view so as to view the occupant or passenger seat of thevehicle as well as the driver region), and may provide occupantdetection and/or monitoring functions as part of an occupant monitoringsystem (OMS).

The mirror assembly may also include one or more light emitters (such asIR or NIR light emitting diodes (LEDs) or vertical-cavitysurface-emitting lasers (VCSEL) or the like) disposed at the back plate20 behind the reflective element 14 and emitting near infrared light (orother nonvisible light) through the aperture of the back plate andthrough the reflective element toward the head region of the driver ofthe vehicle.

The driver monitoring system and the mirror assembly and NIR emittersand camera may utilize aspects of the driver monitoring systems andmirror assemblies and NIR emitters and cameras described inInternational PCT Application No. PCT/US2022/072238, filed May 11, 2022,and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2022/070882, filed Mar. 1, 2022, whichare hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The interior rearview mirror thus may include embedded cameras, IR/NIRilluminators and one or more processors for processing captured imagedata for the driver monitoring application. The inward facing camera 18and light emitters 24 may be fixed within the mirror head, and thus bothcomponents may be coupled with the mirror body. In these cases, thecamera's field of view is subject to change from driver to driver as themirror head is adjusted to set the driver's preferred rearward view.Optionally, the camera and light emitters may be disposed at the fixed(non-adjusting) mounting structure of the mirror assembly or may bedisposed elsewhere in the cabin of the vehicle.

Cameras, such as a camera located at the interior rearview mirror (e.g.,the camera 18), are often used for multiple functions. For example, acamera may capture image data for driver monitoring system in additionto capturing image data for an occupant monitoring system. However,these different functionalities may have different lighting needs orrequirements. For example, the functions may require differentintensities of light, light directed in different directions, differentfrequencies of light, etc. Conventional systems may provide separatesystems with redundant hardware to enable both functions, whichincreases costs.

Referring now to FIG. 3 , the light emitters 24 may include a pluralityof LEDs (e.g., one or more IR LEDs and/or one or more NIR LEDs) disposedat, for example, the PCB. In this example, there are six LEDs in series,but the light emitters may include any number of LEDs 26. The LEDs 26are powered by a current driver 28 that supplies the LEDs 26 withcurrent. When the current driver 28 provides current to the LEDs 26, theLEDs emit light (e.g., IR light, NIR light, visible light, UV light,etc.). A controller 30, such as an ECU or MCU or other processor,controls the current driver 28 (i.e., adjusts the amount of current thecurrent driver 28 provides). The ECU 30 may enable/disable the currentdriver 28 and thus enable/disable the LEDs 26 (i.e., by stopping orreducing the amount of current provided to the LEDs 26). The ECU 30 maycontrol an intensity or brightness of the light emitted by the LEDs 26by adjusting the amount of current provided by the current driver 28.

The system also includes at least one switch 32. The switch may be anyelectrical/electronic switch (e.g., a solid state switch), such as ametal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET), a bipolartransistor, a power diode, etc., controlled by the ECU 30. The switch 32allows current to bypass one or more of the LEDs 26. Here, the switch 32connects a point 34 between the third and the fourth LED 26 to thereturn (e.g., ground). When the switch 32 is closed, current will flowthrough the first, second, and third LEDs and will bypass the fourth,fifth, and sixth LEDs. In this way, the ECU 30 can open the switch 32 toprovide current to the entire bank of LEDs 26 such that all six LEDsemit light (because with the switch open, none of the LEDs 26 arebypassed) or the ECU 30 can close the switch 32 to provide current toonly the first three LEDs (and bypassing the last three LEDs 26). Thus,the ECU 30 operates the switch 32 to quickly and easily control anamount of light (and optionally direction of light or type or color oflight) emitted by the bank of LEDs 26.

For example, if a first function (e.g., an OMS function) requiresillumination from all six LEDs 26, the ECU 30 may ensure the switch 32is open when the camera 18 captures frames of image data for the firstfunction. The ECU 30 may synchronize the LED illumination with thecamera such that the LEDs only emit light when the camera is capturing aframe of image data that is to be used by the corresponding function orsystem (e.g., the OMS). A second function (e.g., a DMS function) mayrequire less illumination (or illumination of a different region) thanthe first function. For example, the second function may only requireillumination from three of the LEDs 26 (e.g., because only the driverinstead of all of the occupants of the vehicle is to be illuminated).The ECU 30 may ensure that the switch 32 is closed when the camera 18captures frames of image data for the second function. For example, thesystem may alternate capturing frames of image data for the OMS functionand the DMS function, and the ECU 30 may accordingly open and close theswitch 32 to driver the corresponding LEDs 24 during the capture of eachframe of image data. Optionally, the ECU 30 may disable all of the LEDs24 (e.g., via the current driver 28) in between capturing frames ofimage data.

The ECU 30 may control the current to different LEDs 26 via the switch32 for purposes in addition to or different than intensity. For example,one or more LEDs 26 may be angled in different directions (e.g., moretoward a particular occupant of the vehicle or more toward a particularregion of the vehicle), thus emitting light in different directions, orsome of the LEDs may emit different types of light, such as some LEDsemitting visible light and other LEDs emitting NIR light. The ECU 30 maycontrol the direction or type of light emitted by controlling the switch32.

Optionally, the switch 32 is electrically connected in series with afirst group or portion or set or subset of the LEDs 26 (the first threeLEDs in this example) and is connected in parallel with a second groupor portion or set or subset of LEDs 26 (the last three LEDs in thisexample). Because the switch 32 is in series with the first or set orsubset of LEDs, current passes through the first portion of LEDs 26.Because the switch 32 is in parallel with the second or set or subset ofLEDs 26 and the switch provides a path of less resistance than the LEDs26, the current will bypass the second or set or subset of LEDs 26 byinstead passing through the closed switch 32.

The system may include any number of LEDs 26 and any number of switches32. Multiple switches may allow the ECU fine control over which LEDs 26are provided current and which LEDs are bypassed through the use of asingle current driver 28. In the example of FIG. 3 , the system couldinclude a second switch 32 to enable bypassing of one LED, two LEDs,four LEDs, and five LEDs (i.e., based on where along the string of LEDs26 the switch connects). The ECU 30 may operate each switch 32independently to provide fine control over the intensity and/ordirection and/or types of light emitted.

The ECU 30 may energize different LEDs for different functions when thecamera 30 captures image data. For example, the camera 30 may run at afixed rate (e.g., frames per second), and a portion of the framescaptured may be for one function while a different portion of the framescaptured may be for a different function. The ECU 30 may synchronizeoperation of the switch(es) 32 with operation of the camera such thatthe appropriate LEDs 26 are enabled depending on the function in usewhen the camera 18 captures a frame of image data.

The system may include aspects of driver monitoring systems or occupantmonitoring systems described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.17/663,462, filed May 16, 2022, and/or International PCT Application No.PCT/US2022/072238, filed May 11, 2022, and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US2022/070882, filed Mar. 1, 2022, which are all hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties.

Thus, the vision system described herein allows an ECU or othercontroller/processor to bypass one or more LEDs (or other illuminationsources) using one or more switches. This allows the ECU to controlwhich LEDs are illuminated via the switches and allow the system tocapture image data for different functions with different lightingrequirements with the use of only a single camera, controller, andcurrent driver. The system may reduce the number of illumination sourcesrequired (e.g., by reducing redundancies) While examples herein describea camera included in a interior rearview mirror and IR/NIR LEDs forfeatures such as OMS and DMS, the vision system may apply to anycameras, such as other interior cameras or exterior cameras (e.g., forobject detection exterior of the vehicle) and for any type ofillumination source, such as LEDs (e.g., LEDs that emit IR light,visible light, UV light, etc.).

The mirror assembly includes or is associated with a driver monitoringsystem (DMS), with the mirror assembly comprising the driver/occupantmonitoring camera 18 disposed at a back plate 20 (and viewing through anaperture of the back plate) behind the reflective element 14 and viewingthrough the reflective element toward at least a head region of thedriver of the vehicle. The DMS includes a near infrared light emitter 24(or other nonvisible light emitter, such as an infrared light emitter)disposed at the back plate and emitting light through another apertureof the back plate and through the reflective element.

With the DMS camera disposed in the mirror head, the camera moves withthe mirror head (including the mirror casing and mirror reflectiveelement that pivot at a pivot joint that pivotally connects the mirrorhead to the mounting structure of the interior rearview mirror assemblythat in turn mounts at a windshield or at a headliner of the equippedvehicle), such that, when the driver aligns the mirror to view rearward,the camera is aligned with the line of sight of the driver. The locationof the DMS camera and IR LED(s) at the mirror head provides anunobstructed view to the driver. The DMS preferably is self-contained inthe interior rearview mirror assembly and thus may be readilyimplemented in a variety of vehicles, including existing vehicles anddifferent models of the same vehicle brand (for example, in a BMW3-series model and in a BMW X3 model and in a BMW 5-series model and ina BMW X5 model and in an BMW 7-series model, etc.). The drivermonitoring camera may also provide captured image data for an occupancymonitoring system (OMS) or another separate camera may be disposed atthe mirror assembly for the OMS function.

As shown in FIG. 4 , the mirror assembly includes a printed circuitboard (PCB) 31 having a control or control unit comprising electroniccircuitry (disposed at the circuit board or substrate in the mirrorcasing), which includes driver circuitry for controlling dimming of themirror reflective element. The circuit board (or a separate DMS circuitboard) includes a processor that processes image data captured by thecamera 18 for monitoring the driver and determining, for example, driverattentiveness and/or driver drowsiness. The driver monitoring systemincludes the driver monitoring camera and may also include an occupantmonitoring camera (or the driver monitoring camera may have asufficiently wide field of view so as to view the occupant or passengerseat of the vehicle as well as the driver region), and may provideoccupant detection and/or monitoring functions as part of an occupantmonitoring system (OMS).

The mirror assembly may also include one or more infrared (IR) or nearinfrared light emitters 24 (such as IR or near-IR light emitting diodes(LEDs) or vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSEL) or the like)disposed at the back plate 20 behind the reflective element 14 andemitting near infrared light through the aperture of the back plate andthrough the reflective element toward the head region of the driver ofthe vehicle. As shown in FIG. 5 , the IR emitter device 24 comprises anIR emitter or LED printed circuit board, with a first set of nearinfrared light emitting diodes 24 a (e.g., a set of wider beam LEDs) atone part of the LED PCB and a second set of near infrared light emittingdiodes 24 b (e.g., a set of narrower beam LEDs) at another part of theLED PCB. The LED PCB has one part angled relative to the other part toemit light in a desired direction depending on the orientation of themirror head. Thus, the first set of near infrared light emitting diodesmay be angled toward the left side of the vehicle so as to be directedtoward a driver of a left hand drive vehicle (if the mirror assembly isinstalled in a left hand drive vehicle and the first set of nearinfrared light emitting diodes are enabled for the driver monitoringfunction), while the second set of near infrared light emitting diodesmay be angled toward the right side of the vehicle so as to be directedtoward a driver of a right hand drive vehicle (if the mirror assembly isinstalled in a right hand drive vehicle and the second set of nearinfrared light emitting diodes are enabled for the driver monitoringfunction).

Conventional driver monitoring systems (DMS) in likes of BMW, Ford, GM,Tesla, and Subaru vehicles (for example, for GM SuperCruise™ or forFord's BlueCruise™ as described inhttps://www.consumerreports.orgicar-safety/driver-monitoring-systems-ford-gm-earn-points-in-cr-tests-a6530426322)are “Two-Box” DMS in that (i) the camera used to monitor the driver'shead/eyes and the near-IR emitting light sources that illuminate thedriver's head/eyes are accommodated in a first box or module (that isusually located at the steering column of an equipped vehicle or in anoverhead region of the equipped vehicle) and (ii) theelectronics/software used to analyze captured image data to determinethe driver's gaze direction or head position or eye movement oralertness or drowsiness is accommodated in a separate second box ormodule that is located remote from and at a distance from the first boxand that connects to the first box typically via a wired connection (thesecond box typically comprises an ECU that can be part of a head unit ofthe equipped vehicle and that besides DMS, optionally can provide otherfeatures).

A “One-Box” DMS electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly hasboth the camera used to monitor the driver's head/eyes and the near-IRemitting light sources that illuminate the driver's head/eyesaccommodated by an interior rearview mirror assembly (and preferably,are both accommodated within the mirror head of the interior rearviewmirror assembly). Thus, the one-box DMS electrochromic interior rearviewmirror assembly allows an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) ofvehicles (such as for example VW or Toyota or Honda or GM or Ford) toequip vehicles with the likes of a DMS interior rearview electrochromicmirror assembly that includes the camera/illumination sources/drivermonitoring software/associated driver monitoring electronic circuitrysuch as data processing chip(s), memory, electronic components, printedcircuit board(s) that includes automatic dimming circuitry, dataprocessing chip(s), memory, electronic components, light sensors fordetecting glare and ambient lighting, and that includes power supplies,electrical connector(s), heat sink(s), mechanical parts, etc. TheOne-Box Interior DMS Rearview Mirror Assembly thus can be purchased byan OEM from an interior rearview mirror assembly manufacturer and can beinstalled by that OEM into a being-assembled vehicle (typically mountingto a mirror mounting button or similar element that is adhered to thein-cabin side of the windshield of the vehicle). To operate in theequipped vehicle, the One-Box Interior DMS Rearview Mirror Assemblyconnects to a vehicle wiring harness of the vehicle and is supplied viathis vehicle wiring harness with ignition voltage (nominal 12V DC butcan vary from 9V (6V for automatic stop/start) to 16V or so depending onthe vehicle type and the operating condition of the vehicle). Theone-box Interior DMS rearview mirror assembly via this wiring harness issupplied with vehicle data, such data including vehicle and other datasupplied via a CAN bus or link (that can carry to the mirror vehicleinformation and that can carry from the mirror distraction alerts, etc.)or supplied via a Local Area Network (LIN) bus or line.

The interior DMS rearview mirror assembly provides a stand-alone One-BoxDMS solution that has the camera/illumination near-IR sources/DMSsoftware and its associated data processing chip(s)/automatic dimmingcircuitry/circuitry used to control an exterior electrochromic mirrorreflective element that is part of an exterior sideview mirror of theequipped vehicle/data processing circuitry/communicationcircuitry/memory/power supplies/associated electronics and hardware/heatsinks, etc. packaged into, integrated into and accommodated by avehicular interior rearview mirror assembly, and preferably covertlyintegrated within the mirror head of the vehicular interior rearviewmirror assembly behind (and rendered covert to a driver's view by) atransflective mirror reflective element of the vehicular interiorrearview mirror assembly.

The interior rearview mirror thus has embedded cameras, IR illuminatorsand the processor for processing captured image data for the drivermonitoring application. The inward facing camera 18 and IR illuminators24 are fixed within the mirror head, and thus both components arecoupled with the mirror body. Hence, the camera's field of view issubject to change from driver to driver as the mirror head is adjustedto set the driver's preferred rearward view.

In the illustrated embodiment, the camera and light emitters aredisposed behind the mirror reflective element, which may comprise anelectro-optic (such as electrochromic or EC) mirror reflective elementor a prismatic mirror reflective element. The mirror casing may includea plastic bezel portion that circumscribes the perimeter edge of themirror reflective element and that provides an outer curved surface thattransitions from the outer surface of the mirror casing to the planarfront surface of the mirror reflective element (optionally with no partof the plastic bezel portion overlapping or overlaying onto the planarfront surface of the mirror reflective element), such that the plasticbezel completes the homologated edge. Optionally, the mirror reflectiveelement may provide an exposed outer curved surface that transitionsfrom the outer surface of the mirror casing to the planar front surfaceof the mirror reflective element.

As shown in FIG. 4 , the mirror back plate 20 is adhered at the rear ofthe mirror reflective element 14 (such as via an adhesive foam tape 25).A heat spreader 29 (e.g., a thin aluminum plate) may be disposed at therear of the back plate, and the printed circuit board (PCB) 31 mayattach at the rear of the heat spreader. A heat sink/chassis and EMIform in place (FIP) gasket is disposed at the rear of the printedcircuit board and is configured to attach at the pivot element 37 (shownas a socket element) that pivotally attaches at the ball member 16 a ofthe mirror mount 16. Thermal interface material 33 may be disposedbetween the circuit board 31 and the chassis 35 to enhance heatdissipation from the circuit board to the chassis and heat sink.

Optionally, the mirror back plate or attachment plate may be molded outof a metal filled injection moldable material (e.g., Stainless Steel(SS) fiber, such as a polycarbonate (PC) Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene(ABS) and SS fiber material) to provide electromagnetic interference(EMI) mitigation (EMC shield). Optionally, the heatsink may be formedvia additive manufacturing (3D printing or the like) to provide anadditive manufactured heatsink with capillary effect to help transferheat more uniformly and away from high power components.

The near infrared light emitter 24 includes a circuit board or element25 that is attached at the chassis 35 via a thermal adhesive, and isdisposed at the aperture of the back plate, with an IR longpass filter36 disposed between the reflective element and the near IR lightemitter. The near IR light emitter 24 is disposed at a left side of themirror head (as viewed by a driver of the vehicle with the mirror headinstalled at the vehicle) and is configured to illuminate the driver'shead region of a left hand drive vehicle.

In the illustrated embodiment, the light emitter 24 has two sets of LEDsdisposed on the circuit board. One set of LEDs 24 a emits a wider beamof near infrared light when energized (e.g., four wider beam LEDs) andanother set of LEDs 24 b emits a narrower beam of near infrared lightwhen energized (e.g., four narrower beam LEDs). The narrower beam LEDsmay be powered or energized for the driver monitoring function, whilethe wider beam LEDs may be powered or energized for the occupantmonitoring function (and may be episodically energized for illuminatingparticular frames of captured image data, such as by utilizing aspectsof the systems described in International PCT Application No.PCT/US2022/072238, filed May 11, 2022, and/or International PCTApplication No. PCT/US2022/070882, filed Mar. 1, 2022, which claims thefiling benefits of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63/267,316,filed Jan. 31, 2022, U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63/262,642,filed Oct. 18, 2021, U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63/260,359,filed Aug. 18, 2021, U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63/201,757,filed May 12, 2021, U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63/201,371,filed Apr. 27, 2021, U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63/200,451,filed Mar. 8, 2021, and U.S. provisional application Ser. No.63/200,315, filed Mar. 1, 2021, which are all hereby incorporated hereinby reference in their entireties).

The narrow beam LEDs 24 b are angled or canted or biased (e.g., by tendegrees or thereabouts) toward the left and thus toward the driver of aleft hand drive vehicle, while the wider beam LEDs 24 a are not biasedtoward either side. When the mirror assembly is installed in a left handdrive vehicle, the narrow beam LEDs illuminate the driver's head regionwhile the wider beam LEDs illuminate the passenger area as well as thedriver area. However, when the mirror assembly is installed in a righthand drive vehicle, the narrow beam LEDs do not illuminate the driver'shead region while the wider beam LEDs illuminate the passenger area aswell as the driver area.

The mirror assembly may include a near infrared light emitter that isconfigured and operable to selectively emit light toward the driver headregion when the mirror assembly is disposed in a left hand drive vehicle(with the driver sitting in a left side driver seat) or when the mirrorassembly is disposed in a right hand drive vehicle (with the driversitting in a right side driver seat). The system provides for DMS/OMSillumination that is software configurable based on vehicle data for thecountry code. For example, the DMS light emitters may comprise two orthree separate banks/groups/sets of emitters or LEDs. One group is aimedor angled toward the left hand side of the vehicle and one group isaimed or angled toward the right hand side of the vehicle. Optionally,there is a third group that is aimed somewhere in between (in theillustrated examples discussed below, the third group is directedperpendicular to the mirror surface). These groups or sets can be madeup of various combinations of wide and narrow LEDs or VCSELs. Knowingthe country the vehicle is in and thus if it is a Left-Hand-Drive (LHD)vehicle or a Right-Hand-Drive (RHD) vehicle allows the software on theDMS/OMS ECU (remote or inside the mirror) to configure which LEDs areactivated for specific DMS or OMS features and/or frames (such as byutilizing aspects of the driver/occupant monitoring systems described inInternational PCT Application No. PCT/US2022/072238, filed May 11, 2022,and/or International PCT Application No. PCT/US2022/070882, filed Mar.1, 2022, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties). Because the controller and system are softwareconfigurable, the mirror design can be common for LHD/RHD vehicles andcan be used globally.

Thus, the DMS light emitters are provided in a mirror assembly with twosets of narrow beam LEDs, one set that is for illuminating a driver of aleft hand drive vehicle when the mirror assembly is installed in theleft hand drive vehicle, and another set that is for illuminating adriver of a right hand drive vehicle when the mirror assembly isinstalled in the right hand drive vehicle. For example, and withreference to FIGS. 6-8 , the mirror assembly 110 includes the camera 118and near IR light emitters 124 disposed behind the mirror reflectiveelement 114 and at the left side of center of the mirror head. The nearIR light emitters include three sets of LEDs (e.g., each set having fourLEDs), including a wider beam set of LEDs 124 a disposed between a firstnarrow beam set of LEDs 124 b and a second narrow beam set of LEDs 124c. The wider beam set of LEDs 124 a is centrally located at the lightemitter PCB 125 and has no bias in either direction (i.e., its principalbeam axis is generally normal to the planar surface of the mirrorreflective element and with the beam providing greater than 100 degreesof illumination across the interior cabin, such as greater than 120degrees of illumination across the interior cabin, such as greater than150 degrees of illumination across the interior cabin), while the firstnarrow beam set of LEDs 124 b is disposed at the left side of the widerset and is biased (e.g., canted or angled at about 0 to 20 degrees,preferably 5 to 15 degrees, such as, for example, 10 degrees) toward theleft side, and the second narrow beam set of LEDs 124 c is disposed atthe right side of the wider set and is biased (e.g., canted or angled atabout 10 to 30 degrees, preferably 15 to 25 degrees, such as, forexample, 20 degrees or 22 degrees) toward the right side (and with eachnarrow beam set providing less than 100 degrees of illumination acrossthe interior cabin, such as less than 80 degrees of illumination acrossthe interior cabin, such as less than 60 degrees of illumination acrossthe interior cabin). The light emitter circuit board 125 may comprisethree parts, with the center part being parallel to the planar surfaceof the reflective element and with the side parts being angled or cantedrelative to the center part and relative to the planar surface of thereflective element to provide the desired or selected angling of theprincipal beam axis of the narrow beam set of LEDs. For applicationswhere the light emitters are disposed at the right side of center of themirror head, the angles of the narrow beam emitting light emitters wouldbe reversed, so that the first narrow beam set of LEDs disposed at theleft side of the wider set is biased (e.g., canted or angled at about 10to 30 degrees, preferably 15 to 25 degrees, such as, for example, 20degrees or 22 degrees) toward the left side, and the second narrow beamset of LEDs disposed at the right side of the wider set is biased (e.g.,canted or angled at about 0 to 20 degrees, preferably 5 to 15 degrees,such as, for example, 10 degrees) toward the right side (and with eachnarrow beam set providing less than 100 degrees of illumination acrossthe interior cabin, such as less than 80 degrees of illumination acrossthe interior cabin, such as less than 60 degrees of illumination acrossthe interior cabin).

Thus, when the mirror assembly is disposed in a left hand drive vehicle,the system is set so that the driver monitoring LEDs (that are energizedwhen the system is capturing image data for the driver monitoringfunction) comprise the first narrow beam set of LEDs 124 b, such thatthe driver's head is illuminated by the near infrared illuminationemitted by the LEDs 124 b during image capture for the driver monitoringfunction. Similarly, when the mirror assembly is disposed in a righthand drive vehicle, the system is set so that the driver monitoring LEDscomprise the second narrow beam set of LEDs 124 b, such that thedriver's head is illuminated by the near infrared illumination emittedby the LEDs 124 b during image capture for the driver monitoringfunction. The wider beam set of LEDs is the same for either the lefthand drive application or right hand drive application and provideswider illumination during image capture for the occupant monitoringfunction.

The light emitter is software enabled so that either the first or secondnarrow beam set of LEDs is enabled (for the driver monitoring function)depending on the type (left hand drive or right hand drive) of vehiclein which the mirror assembly is installed. Thus, when the mirrorassembly is installed in a left hand drive vehicle, the first narrowbeam set of LEDs is enabled (for the driver monitoring function) sothat, when operating for the driver monitoring function, the firstnarrow beam set of LEDs is energized (and the second narrow beam set ofLEDs is not enabled or energized). Alternatively, if the mirror assemblyis installed in a right hand drive vehicle, the second narrow beam setof LEDs is enabled (for the driver monitoring function) so that, whenoperating for the driver monitoring function, the second narrow beam setof LEDs is energized (and the first narrow beam set of LEDs is notenabled or energized).

Thus, the driver monitoring system may control the LED control circuitto enable and energize or electrically power the appropriate set of LEDsdepending on the type of vehicle and depending on whether the system iscapturing image data for the driver monitoring function or the occupantmonitoring function. As shown in FIG. 9 , the different LED groups areelectrically powered by an LED control circuit, which is provided LEDcontrol signals from the microprocessor. The LED control circuit may bedisposed at the circuit board of the light emitter, and themicroprocessor may be at the ECU of the mirror head or at a remote ECUin the vehicle. The microprocessor controls the light emitter inaccordance with the image capturing by the DMS/OMS camera so theappropriate area of the vehicle cabin is illuminated by the lightemitter depending on the particular function (driver monitoring oroccupant monitoring) for which the system is currently capturing imagedata. The control sequences for actuating the different sets of LEDs ofthe light emitter may be similar to what is shown in FIG. 10 (for a lefthand drive vehicle) or FIG. 11 (for a right hand drive vehicle). Theselection or enabling of one of the narrow beam sets of LEDs may occuronly once, such as when the mirror is installed at the LHD or RHDvehicle or before installation and when the mirror assembly is assembledor shipped to the assembly plant or at any other time prior to normaloperation of the DMS/OMS. After the initial setting, the DMS willoperate to energize the appropriate or selected or enabled narrow beamset for the DMS function and will not operate or energize thenon-selected or not enabled narrow beam set for the DMS function.

Thus, when the mirror assembly is installed in a vehicle (typically at avehicle assembly line) or installed as a replacement service part, andwhen the vehicle is powered, a signal or flag input is provided (e.g.,via CAN bus signal or the like) to the electronic circuitry of themirror assembly indicating that the vehicle is either a left hand drivevehicle or a right hand drive vehicle. Optionally, that signal may beprovided at initial startup of the vehicle (after the mirror assembly isinstalled and the vehicle is assembled) or at each ignition cycle.Optionally, the signal may be provided when the mirror assembly isassembled (such as at the mirror assembly plant or mirror manufacturer)and designated for use in the left hand drive vehicle or right handdrive vehicle.

The electro-optic (such as electrochromic (EC)) mirror reflectiveelement subassembly transmits near infrared light and reflects visiblelight. Thus, the mirror reflective element (i.e., a transflective mirrorreflector of the mirror reflective element) effectively allows the IRemitters to emit light through the reflective element and allows thecamera to ‘view’ through the mirror reflective element, while allowingthe mirror reflective element to reflect at least some visible lightincident thereat to serve its intended rear viewing purpose. The IRemitters may be activated responsive at least in part to an ambientlight level within the vehicle cabin and at the driver's head region,with the light level being determined by a light sensor or by processingof image data captured by the driver monitoring camera. Although shownand described as being disposed behind the mirror reflective element andemitting light through and receiving light through the mirror reflectiveelement, the light emitters and camera may be disposed at a lower regionof the mirror head (with the mounting base attached at the interiorportion of the left hand drive vehicle or the right hand drive vehicle)and below the mirror reflective element and movable in tandem with themirror head.

As can be seen in FIGS. 4-8 , the driver monitoring camera is centrallylocated in the mirror head. The nFOV near-IR LEDs that, in a RHDvehicle, monitor the driver's head, are positioned towards one lateralside of the mirror head and are angled [relative to the plane of therear side of the rear glass surface of the EC Cell (its fourth surface)]at an acute angle around 10 degrees and view in a direction away fromthe lateral side of the mirror head. The nFOV near-IR LEDs that, in aLHD vehicle, illuminate the driver's head, are positioned closer to thecentral region of the mirror head (where the driver-monitoring camera isdisposed) and are angled [relative to the plane of the rear side of therear glass surface of the EC Cell (its fourth surface)] at an acuteangle around 20 degrees and view in a direction opposite to that of theother nFOV LEDs. The wFOV near-IR LEDs that provide generalcabin/occupant illumination are disposed in the mirror head betweenwhere the nFOV LEDs are located—and have their principal axis of viewperpendicular to the plane of the rear side of the rear glass planarsurface of the EC Cell.

Thus, the switch may allow current to bypass one subset of LEDs. Whenthe switch is closed, current will flow through one subset of LEDs(e.g., the driver-side nFOV LEDs) and will bypass the other subset ofLEDs (e.g., the passenger-side nFOV LEDs and the wFOV LEDs). In thisway, the ECU can open the switch to provide current to the entire bankof LEDs (i.e., to the wFOV LEDs and to both sets of nFOV LEDs) such thatall LEDs emit light (because with the switch open, none of the LEDs arebypassed) or the ECU can close the switch to provide current to only thedriver-side nFOV LEDs (and bypassing the other LEDs). Thus, the ECUoperates the switch to quickly and easily control an amount of light(and optionally direction of light or type or color of light) emitted bythe bank of LEDs. Thus, the plurality of LEDs is electrically powered toemit light when the image data captured by the camera is processed atthe ECU for the occupant monitoring function, and a subset of LEDs ofthe plurality of LEDs is electrically powered to emit light when theimage data captured by the camera is processed at the ECU for the drivermonitoring function (while bypassing another subset of LEDs thatincludes the passenger-side nFOV LEDs and the wFOV LEDs). Thedriver-side nFOV LEDs or driver monitoring subset of LEDs of theplurality of LEDs, when electrically powered to emit light, emits lightto illuminate a driver's head region in the cabin of the vehicle. Theother subset of LEDs of the plurality of LEDs (i.e., the passengermonitoring LEDs or passenger-side nFOV LEDs), when electrically poweredto emit light, emits light at a first angle relative to the camera, andthe driver-side nFOV LEDs or driver monitoring subset of LEDs of theplurality of LEDs, when electrically powered to emit light, emits lightat a second angle relative to the camera, and wherein the first angle isdifferent than the second angle. For example, the second subset of LEDsmay comprise the nFOV LEDs for illuminating the driver's head region ofthe vehicle (such as a left side seating area for a left hand drivevehicle), and the first subset of LEDs may comprise the nFOV LEDs forilluminating the passenger's head region of the vehicle (such as a rightside seating area for a left hand drive vehicle), with the first subsetof LEDs optionally also including the wFOV LEDs.

Thus, upon ignition-on and/or at start-up of the propulsion system (suchas an engine in an internal combustion engine vehicle or an electricdrive in an electric vehicle) of the equipped vehicle, the One-BoxInterior DMS Rearview Mirror Assembly is powered. When powered, the DMScamera captures frames of image data at a frame capture rate of at least15 fps, preferably at least 30 fps, more preferably at least 60 fps.During driving, the ECU of the One-Box Interior DMS Rearview MirrorAssembly is aware of whether the vehicle is being driven in left handdrive (LHD) country or in a right hand drive (RHD) country. This can bebased on data provided by the equipped vehicle based on likes of thecurrent geographic location of the equipped vehicle as determined by thelike of a GPS system. Also, when the vehicle first leaves its vehicleassembly plant, the automaker involved will have the steering column atthe left side of the front cabin region for a LHD vehicle and will havethe steering column at the right side of the front cabin region for aRHD vehicle. When set for a left hand drive vehicle or a right handdrive vehicle/knowing where the vehicle is being driven, the imageprocessing of the image data captured by the DMS camera is set toprocess image data representative of the driver region (e.g., the lefthand front seat region for a left hand drive vehicle or the right handfront seat region for a right hand drive vehicle) for DMS frame capture,and the light sources are controlled or powered to provide enhancedillumination of the driver region for the DMS frame capture. The lightsources of the One-Box Interior DMS Rearview Mirror Assembly in apreferred embodiment include a first set of light sources (the wFOVlight source) disposed between a second set of light sources (e.g., theleft hand (LH) light source) and a third set of light sources (e.g., theright hand (RH) light source).

For a left hand drive vehicle equipped with the One-Box Interior DMSRearview Mirror Assembly, during capture of a DMS set of captured framesof image data (for a driver monitoring function), the LHD nFOV lightsource (preferably a plurality of near-IR emitting LEDs comprising atleast two LEDs and more preferably comprising four or less LEDs) and thewFOV light source (preferably a plurality of near-IR emitting LEDscomprising at least two LEDs and more preferably comprising four or lessLEDs) are energized. The illumination provided by the LHD nFOV lightsource and the wFOV light source combine to illuminate the head regionof the driver (who is seated at the left side of the vehicle) with anirradiance of at least 1.25 W/m², more preferably at least 1.8 W/m² andmost preferably at least 2.3 W/m². The LHD nFOV near-IR light source hasa narrow field of illumination cone/zone that encompasses/illuminatesthe driver's head-box region (and thus provides enhanced irradiance atthe driver's face. The wFOV near IR light source is also energizedduring this capture of the DMS set of captured frames of image data forthe driver monitoring function, but the LHD nFOV near-IR light source isnot energized. This selective energizing of one but not the other of theLHD and RHD light sources (taking a LHD drive as illustrative where theLHD light source is energized but the RHD light source is not energized)avoids wastefully generating heat within the mirror head by energizingthe RHD light source that contributes scant illumination of the driversitting in the left-hand driver's seat. The wFOV light source howeveradds some level of irradiance to the driver's head box region and alsoilluminates the area where the driver's hands would be (the steeringwheel, center console, etc.) and thus regardless of whether in a LDH ora RHD vehicle, the wFOV light source is energized all the time thevehicle is powered and operated. Thus, for DMS frame capture in a lefthand drive vehicle, the One-Box Interior DMS Rearview Mirror Assemblywill only power the LHD nFOV light source and the wFOV light sourcesince these are the light sources that will illuminate the driver of theleft hand drive vehicle. Light emitted by the RHD nFOV light source,when powered, does not cover in any significance any part of the LHdriver so the RHD nFOV light source is not powered during DMS framecapture in a LHD vehicle. Of course in a RHD vehicle, this reverses. ForDMS frame capture in a right hand drive vehicle, the One-Box InteriorDMS Rearview Mirror Assembly will only power the RHD nFOV light sourceand the wFOV light source since these are the light sources that willilluminate the driver of the right hand drive vehicle.

For either a left hand drive vehicle or a right hand drive equipped withthe One-Box Interior DMS Rearview Mirror Assembly, during capture of anOMS set of captured frames of image data (for an occupant monitoringfunction), all three sets of near-IR light sources (LHD nFOV and wFOVand RHD nFOV) are energized so that near-IR floodlighting within thevehicle cabin is maximized, and especially to illuminate likes of asecond row of rear seats or even a third row of rear seats).

For the left hand drive vehicle equipped with the One-Box Interior DMSRearview Mirror Assembly, during capture of an OMS set of capturedframes of image data (for an occupant monitoring or occupant detectionfunction), the LHD nFOV light source, the wFOV light source and the RHDnFOV light source (preferably a plurality of near-IR emitting LEDscomprising at least two LEDs and more preferably comprising four or lessLEDs) are all energized. The illumination provided by the LHD nFOV lightsource, the wFOV light source and the RHD nFOV light source combine toilluminate the second row or rear seats and the passenger seat regionwith an irradiance of at least 0.1 W/m², of preferably at least 0.15W/m², and more preferably at least 0.2 W/m², and the illuminationprovided by the wFOV light source and the RHD nFOV light source combineto illuminate the front passenger seat region with an irradiance of atleast 0.15 W/m², of preferably at least 0.25 W/m², and more preferablyat least 0.4 W/m².

Thus, for DMS frame capture in a left hand drive vehicle, the One-BoxInterior DMS Rearview Mirror Assembly will only power the LHD nFOV lightsource and the wFOV light source since these are the light sources thatwill illuminate the driver of the left hand drive vehicle, and for OMSframe capture in the left hand drive vehicle, the One-Box Interior DMSRearview Mirror Assembly will power the LHD nFOV light source, the wFOVlight source and the RHD nFOV light source.

Similarly, for a right hand drive vehicle equipped with the One-BoxInterior DMS Rearview Mirror Assembly, during capture of a DMS set ofcaptured frames of image data (for a driver monitoring function), theRHD nFOV light source (preferably a plurality of near-IR emitting LEDscomprising at least two LEDs and more preferably comprising four or lessLEDs) and the wFOV light source (preferably a plurality of near-IRemitting LEDs comprising at least two LEDs and more preferablycomprising four or less LEDs) are energized. The illumination providedby the RHD nFOV light source and the wFOV light source combine toilluminate the head region of the driver (at the right side of thevehicle) with an irradiance of at least 1.25 W/m², more preferably atleast 1.8 W/m² and most preferably at least 2.3 W/m². The RHD nFOV lightsource has a narrow field of illumination cone that covers the driver'shead box region (and thus provides enhanced irradiance at the driver'sface without increasing the input power to the RHD nFOV light source,while also providing reduced heat generation in the system and reducingthe number of LEDs needed), while the wFOV light source adds some levelof irradiance to the driver's head box region but also illuminates thearea where the driver's hands would be (the steering wheel, centerconsole, etc.). Thus, for DMS frame capture in a right hand drivevehicle, the One-Box Interior DMS Rearview Mirror Assembly will onlypower the RHD nFOV light source and the wFOV light source since theseare the light sources that will illuminate the driver of the right handdrive vehicle. Light emitted by the LHD nFOV light source, when powered,does not cover any part of the RH driver so the LHD nFOV light source isnot powered during DMS frame capture.

For the right hand drive vehicle equipped with the One-Box Interior DMSRearview Mirror Assembly, during capture of an OMS set of capturedframes of image data (for an occupant monitoring or occupant detectionfunction), the RHD nFOV light source, the wFOV light source and the LHDnFOV light source (preferably a plurality of near-IR emitting LEDscomprising at least two LEDs and more preferably comprising four or lessLEDs) are all energized. The illumination provided by the RHD nFOV lightsource, the wFOV light source and the LHD nFOV light source combine toilluminate the second row or rear seats and the passenger seat regionwith an irradiance of at least 0.1 W/m², of preferably at least 0.15W/m², and more preferably at least 0.2 W/m², and the illuminationprovided by the wFOV light source and the LHD nFOV light source combineto illuminate the front passenger seat region with an irradiance of atleast 0.15 W/m², of preferably at least 0.25 W/m², and more preferablyat least 0.4 W/m².

Thus, for DMS frame capture in a right hand drive vehicle, the One-BoxInterior DMS Rearview Mirror Assembly will only power the RHD nFOV lightsource and the wFOV light source since these are the light sources thatwill illuminate the driver of the right hand drive vehicle, and for OMSframe capture in the right hand drive vehicle, the One-Box Interior DMSRearview Mirror Assembly will power the RHD nFOV light source, the wFOVlight source and the LHD nFOV light source.

The illumination protocols/scenarios described herein can be dynamic inthat they can adjust to a current driving situation. For example, theillumination protocols can adjust for daytime/nighttime (by time of dayor time of night) driving conditions; the illumination protocols canadjust responsive to a level of ambient cabin lighting, such as canoccur on a sunny day vs cloudy day or at dawn or dusk; or theillumination protocols can adjust (such as for thermal management) totemporarily de-rate in-cabin illumination for a temporary limited periodof time after ignition-on or start-up occurs when the vehicle has beenparked out in the sun on a hot sunny day.

Whether the One-Box Interior DMS Rearview Mirror Assembly is disposed ina LHD vehicle or a RHD vehicle, the DMS camera, for purposes ofoccupancy detection, preferably has a field of illumination that coversthe seating positions (front and rear) of occupants of the vehicle.Similarly, to provide near-IR floodlighting of such passengers seated inthe interior cabin of the vehicle, the field of illumination by the wFOVnear-IR illuminator, whether the One-Box Interior DMS Rearview MirrorAssembly is used in a LHD or a RHD vehicle, covers the seating positions(front and rear) of occupants of the vehicle. However, for DMSfunctionality, it is desirable that the driver's face/head/body isnear-IR illuminated as intensely as possible. Thus, for a LHD vehicle,it is desirable to have the LHD nFOV near-IR illuminator directed towardthe driver of the LHD vehicle, while for a RHD vehicle, it is desirableto have the RHD nFOV near-IR illuminator directed toward the driver ofthe RHD vehicle. Given that the central area of the DMS mirror head haslimited space to accommodate the camera, a wFOV near-IR illuminator, annFOV near-IR illuminator and the mirror pivot joint andsimilar/associated hardware, the nFOV near-IR illuminators, forpractical reasons, are disposed to the left side of the camera or to theright side of the camera.

Optionally, for practical reasons, such as manufacturing and packagingand cost reasons, it can be desirable to have the nFOV near-IRilluminators on one side (e.g., the left side) or the other side (e.g.,the right side) of the camera centrally disposed in the mirror head orto have the LHD nFOV near-IR illuminator on one side (e.g., the leftside) and the RHD nFOV near-IR illuminator on the other side (e.g., theright side). For example, and such as shown in FIG. 12A, a One-BoxInterior DMS Rearview Mirror Assembly may have the camera and the wFOVnear-IR illuminator centrally disposed at the mirror head (with thecamera centrally located above or below the wFOV near-IR illuminator),with one of the nFOV near-IR illuminators (e.g., the LHD nFOV near-IRilluminator that is for illuminating the driver of a LHD vehicle)disposed at the left side of the mirror head (at the left side of thecamera) and the other of the nFOV near-IR illuminators (e.g., the RHDnFOV near-IR illuminator that is for illuminating the driver of a RHDvehicle) disposed at the right side of the mirror head (at the rightside of the camera). Alternatively, it is contemplated that the LHD nFOVnear-IR illuminator may be disposed at the right side of the mirror headand the RHD nFOV near-IR illuminator may be disposed at the left side ofthe mirror head.

Optionally, the nFOV near-IR illuminators may be more centrally disposedin the mirror head (such as above or below the centrally located wFOVnear-IR illuminator). For example, and such as shown in FIG. 12B, thewFOV near-IR illuminator may be centrally located (e.g., above or belowthe centrally located camera), and the nFOV near-IR illuminators may bedisposed at or above (or below) the wFOV near-IR illuminator. As shownin FIG. 12B, one of the nFOV near-IR illuminators (e.g., the LHD nFOVnear-IR illuminator that is for illuminating the driver of a LHDvehicle) is disposed at the left side of the centerline of the mirrorhead (at the left side of the camera) and the other of the nFOV near-IRilluminators (e.g., the RHD nFOV near-IR illuminator that is forilluminating the driver of a RHD vehicle) is disposed at the right sideof the centerline of the mirror head (at the right side of the camera).Alternatively, it is contemplated that the LHD nFOV near-IR illuminatormay be disposed at the right side of the centerline of the mirror headand the RHD nFOV near-IR illuminator may be disposed at the left side ofthe centerline of the mirror head. It is further contemplated that theLHD nFOV near-IR illuminator and the RHD nFOV near-IR illuminator may bevertically arranged at the centerline of the mirror head, with one abovethe other.

Optionally, the wFOV near-IR illuminator may be centrally disposed(e.g., above or below the centrally disposed camera), and both nFOVnear-IR illuminators may be disposed at one side or the other of themirror head. For example, and such as shown in FIG. 12C, the wFOVnear-IR illuminator is centrally disposed (e.g., above or below thecentrally disposed camera), and the LHD and RHD nFOV near-IRilluminators are disposed at the right side of the mirror head, with theLHD nFOV near-IR illuminator disposed closer to the center of the mirrorhead than the RHD nFOV near-IR illuminator. Alternatively, and such asshown in FIG. 12D, the wFOV near-IR illuminator is centrally disposed(e.g., above or below the centrally disposed camera), and the LHD andRHD nFOV near-IR illuminators are disposed at the left side of themirror head, with the RHD nFOV near-IR illuminator disposed closer tothe center of the mirror head than the LHD nFOV near-IR illuminator.Optionally, the wFOV near-IR illuminator and/or the nFOV near-IRilluminators may be disposed at a lower region of the mirror head (seeFIGS. 12C and 12D) or may be disposed at an upper region of the mirrorhead (see FIG. 12E). Thus, and such as shown in FIG. 12E, one or both ofthe nFOV near-IR illuminators may be higher up toward the upper regionof the mirror head, and/or the wFOV near-IR illuminator may be higher uptoward the upper region of the mirror head.

In a vehicle (whether LHD or RHD), the driver grasps the mirror head toadjust what the interior mirror reflective element views so that thedriver sees out the rear window of the equipped vehicle. The cameramoves in tandem with movement of the mirror head by the driver. In sodoing, the driver moves the mirror head to a position/orientation wherethe driver-monitoring camera within the mirror head is viewing the headof the driver.

The near-IR signal emitted by the LEDs is preferably at 940 nmwavelength so that it is more readily recognized by the DMS processor(there is a decrease in ambient solar light at that wavelength due toabsorption of 940 nm light by water in the atmosphere). The DMS cameraincludes a filter that allows/passes that wavelength and attenuatesother light. The camera will thus operate with an enhanced 940 nmsignal, which enhances driver monitoring in situations where the driveris wearing sunglasses. The rest of the in-cabin light (i.e., the ambientlight) is filtered so the camera focuses on the 940 nm wavelength andthen avoids “seeing” reflection at sunglasses. The DMS function mayprovide dynamic camera control (increase or decrease exposure time orframe capture rate) and LED control (increase or decrease power to LEDsand/or increase or decrease on time) to accommodate changes in lightingand/or to accommodate driver sunglasses or the like.

The mirror reflector may comprise a stack of coatings specific to theneeds related to three basic requirements: (i) reflect much of thevisible light to prevent seeing details such as the camera behind theglass (this can also be stated as transmitting less than 25% of visiblelight, one way through the glass subassembly), (ii) transmit nearinfrared (NIR) that comes out from NIR LEDs behind the glass, reflectsoff occupants and comes back to the camera behind the glass (the goalfor the coating is greater than 95% transmission at 940 nm wavelength)and (iii) control the color of reflected light incident at the mirrorreflective element to be neutral or to the blue side for anymanufacturing variance, avoiding red and green shifts. Also, due tofixed as well as variable costs, it is desirable to have the minimumnumber of layers in the coating as well as minimum total thickness ofall layers.

The system may utilize aspects of driver monitoring systems and/or headand face direction and position tracking systems and/or eye trackingsystems and/or gesture recognition systems. Such head and face directionand/or position tracking systems and/or eye tracking systems and/orgesture recognition systems may utilize aspects of the systems describedin U.S. Pat. Nos. 10,065,574; 10,017,114; 9,405,120 and/or 7,914,187,and/or U.S. Publication Nos. US-2022-0254132; US-2022-0242438;US-2022-0111857; US-2021-0323473; US-2021-0291739; US-2020-0202151;US-2020-0320320; US-2020-0143560; US-2018-0231976; US-2018-0222414;US-2017-0274906; US-2017-0217367; US-2016-0209647; US-2016-0137126;US-2015-0352953; US-2015-0296135; US-2015-0294169; US-2015-0232030;US-2015-0092042; US-2015-0022664; US-2015-0015710; US-2015-0009010and/or US-2014-0336876, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No.17/663,462, filed May 16, 2022, and/or International Application No.PCT/US2022/072238, filed May 11, 2022, and/or International ApplicationNo. PCT/US2022/070882, filed Mar. 1, 2022, which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, the driver monitoring system may be integrated with a cameramonitoring system (CMS) of the vehicle. The integrated vehicle systemincorporates multiple inputs, such as from the inward viewing or drivermonitoring camera and from the forward or outward viewing camera, aswell as from a rearward viewing camera and sideward viewing cameras ofthe CMS, to provide the driver with unique collision mitigationcapabilities based on full vehicle environment and driver awarenessstate. The image processing and detections and determinations areperformed locally within the interior rearview mirror assembly and/orthe overhead console region, depending on available space and electricalconnections for the particular vehicle application. The CMS cameras andsystem may utilize aspects of the systems described in U.S. Pat. No.11,242,008 and/or U.S. Publication Nos. US-2021-0162926;US-2021-0155167; US-2018-0134217 and/or US-2014-0285666, and/orInternational PCT Publication No. WO 2022/150826, which are all herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The ECU may receive image data captured by a plurality of cameras of thevehicle, such as by a plurality of surround view system (SVS) camerasand a plurality of camera monitoring system (CMS) cameras and optionallyone or more driver monitoring system (DMS) cameras. The ECU may comprisea central or single ECU that processes image data captured by thecameras for a plurality of driving assist functions and may providedisplay of different video images to a video display screen in thevehicle (such as at an interior rearview mirror assembly or at a centralconsole or the like) for viewing by a driver of the vehicle. The systemmay utilize aspects of the systems described in U.S. Pat. Nos.11,242,008; 10,442,360 and/or 10,046,706, and/or U.S. Publication Nos.US-2021-0155167 and/or US-2019-0118717, and/or U.S. Publication No.US-2021-0162926 and/or International PCT Publication No. WO 2022/150826,which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties.

The camera or sensor may comprise any suitable camera or sensor.Optionally, the camera may comprise a “smart camera” that includes theimaging sensor array and associated circuitry and image processingcircuitry and electrical connectors and the like as part of a cameramodule, such as by utilizing aspects of the vision systems described inU.S. Pat. Nos. 10,099,614 and/or 10,071,687, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The system includes an image processor operable to process image datacaptured by the camera or cameras, such as for detecting objects orother vehicles or pedestrians or the like in the field of view of one ormore of the cameras. For example, the image processor may comprise animage processing chip selected from the EYEQ family of image processingchips available from Mobileye Vision Technologies Ltd. of Jerusalem,Israel, and may include object detection software (such as the typesdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,855,755; 7,720,580 and/or 7,038,577, whichare hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties), andmay analyze image data to detect vehicles and/or other objects.Responsive to such image processing, and when an object or other vehicleis detected, the system may generate an alert to the driver of thevehicle and/or may generate an overlay at the displayed image tohighlight or enhance display of the detected object or vehicle, in orderto enhance the driver's awareness of the detected object or vehicle orhazardous condition during a driving maneuver of the equipped vehicle.

Optionally, the camera may comprise a forward viewing camera, such asdisposed at a windshield electronics module (WEM) or the like. Theforward viewing camera may utilize aspects of the systems described inU.S. Pat. Nos. 9,896,039; 9,871,971; 9,596,387; 9,487,159; 8,256,821;7,480,149; 6,824,281 and/or 6,690,268, and/or U.S. Publication Nos.US-2020-0039447; US-2015-0327398; US-2015-0015713; US-2014-0160284;US-2014-0226012 and/or US-2009-0295181, which are all herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, the vision system may include a display for displayingimages captured by one or more of the imaging sensors for viewing by thedriver of the vehicle while the driver is normally operating thevehicle. Optionally, for example, the vision system may include a videodisplay device, such as by utilizing aspects of the video displaysystems described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,530,240; 6,329,925; 7,855,755;7,626,749; 7,581,859; 7,446,650; 7,338,177; 7,274,501; 7,255,451;7,195,381; 7,184,190; 5,668,663; 6,690,268; 7,370,983; 7,329,013;7,308,341; 7,289,037; 7,249,860; 7,004,593; 4,546,551; 5,699,044;4,953,305; 5,576,687; 5,632,092; 5,708,410; 5,737,226; 5,802,727;6,087,953; 6,173,501; 6,222,460; 6,513,252 and/or 6,642,851, and/or U.S.Publication Nos. US-2014-0022390; US-2012-0162427; US-2006-0050018and/or US-2006-0061008, which are all hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties.

Therefore, a vehicular cabin monitoring system comprises an interiorrearview mirror assembly having a mirror head adjustably attached to amounting structure, the mounting structure configured to attach at aninterior portion of a vehicle equipped with the vehicular cabinmonitoring system. The mirror head comprises a mirror reflectiveelement. A camera is accommodated by the mirror head, and a plurality oflight emitters, such as, for example, a plurality of light emittingdiodes (LEDs), is accommodated by the mirror head. A current driver isconfigured to provide electrical current to the plurality of LEDs toelectrically power the plurality of LEDs to emit light. An electronicswitch is operable in an open state or in a closed state. When theelectronic switch operates in the open state, electrical currentprovided by the current driver passes through each individual LED of theplurality of LEDs, and when the electronic switch operates in the closedstate, electrical current provided by the current driver bypasses atleast one individual LED of the plurality of LEDs and passes through theremaining individual LEDs of the plurality of LEDs. An electroniccontrol unit (ECU) comprises electronic circuitry and associatedsoftware. The electronic circuitry of the ECU comprises an imageprocessor for processing image data captured by the camera. With themounting structure attached at the interior portion of the vehicle, theelectronic switch operates in the open state when the image datacaptured by the camera is processed at the ECU for an occupantmonitoring function. With the mounting structure attached at theinterior portion of the vehicle, the electronic switch operates in theclosed state when the image data captured by the camera is processed atthe ECU for a driver monitoring function.

The electronic switch may be connected in series with a first subset ofLEDs of the plurality of LEDs, and the electronic switch may beconnected in parallel with a second subset of LEDs of the plurality ofLEDs. When the electronic switch operates in the closed state, theelectrical current provided by the current driver bypasses the secondsubset of LEDs.

The electronic switch may comprise a metal-oxide-semiconductorfield-effect transistor (MOSFET).

The electronic switch may operate in the open state responsive to afirst signal generated by the ECU. The electronic switch may operate inthe closed state responsive to a second signal generated by the ECU.

Optionally, a first subset of LEDs of the plurality of LEDs iselectrically powered to emit light when the image data captured by thecamera is processed at the ECU for the occupant monitoring function, anda second subset of LEDs of the plurality of LEDs is electrically poweredto emit light when the image data captured by the camera is processed atthe ECU for the driver monitoring function. The second subset of LEDs ofthe plurality of LEDs, when electrically powered to emit light, emitslight to illuminate a driver's head region in the cabin of the vehicle.The first subset of LEDs of the plurality of LEDs, when electricallypowered to emit light, emits light at a first angle relative to thecamera, and wherein the second subset of LEDs of the plurality of LEDs,when electrically powered to emit light, emits light at a second anglerelative to the camera, and wherein the first angle is different thanthe second angle. For example, the second subset of LEDs may comprisethe nFOV LEDs for illuminating the driver's head region of the vehicle(such as a left side seating area for a left hand drive vehicle), andthe first subset of LEDs may comprise the nFOV LEDs for illuminating thepassenger's head region of the vehicle (such as a right side seatingarea for a left hand drive vehicle), with the first subset of LEDsoptionally also including the wFOV LEDs.

The plurality of LEDs, when electrically powered to emit light, emitnear infrared light. A first subset of LEDs of the plurality of LEDs,when electrically powered to emit light, emits light at a first anglerelative to the camera, and a second subset of LEDs of the plurality ofLEDs, when electrically powered to emit light, emits light at a secondangle relative to the camera, and wherein the first angle is differentthan the second angle.

The ECU enables the current driver when the camera is capturing imagedata, and the ECU disables the current driver when the camera is notcapturing image data.

A second electronic switch may be operable in an open state or a closedstate. When the second electronic switch operates in the closed state,the electrical current provided by the current driver bypasses at leastone different LED of the plurality of LEDs than the at least one LEDthat is bypassed when the electronic switch operates in the closedstate.

When the electronic switch operates in the open state, the individualLEDs of the plurality of LEDs are electrically connected in series, andwhen the electronic switch is operating in the open state, the at leastone LED of the plurality of LEDs is not electrically connected in serieswith the remaining individual LEDs of the plurality of LEDs.

The current driver may provide a first amperage of electrical currentwhen the camera captures image data for the occupant monitoringfunction, and the current driver provides a second amperage ofelectrical current when the camera captures image data for the drivermonitoring function, with the first amperage of electrical current beingdifferent than the second amperage of electrical current.

The ECU may be disposed within the mirror head.

The camera and the plurality of LEDs may be disposed within the mirrorhead and behind the mirror reflective element. The camera may viewthrough the mirror reflective element and the plurality of LEDs, whenelectrically powered to emit light, may emit light through the mirrorreflective element.

A vehicular cabin monitoring system comprises an interior rearviewmirror assembly having a mirror head adjustably attached to a mountingstructure, the mounting structure configured to attach at an interiorportion of a vehicle equipped with the vehicular cabin monitoringsystem. The mirror head comprises a mirror reflective element. A camerais accommodated by the mirror head, and a plurality of light emitters,such as, for example, a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs), isaccommodated by the mirror head. A current driver is configured toprovide electrical current to the plurality of LEDs to electricallypower the plurality of LEDs to emit light. The plurality of LEDs, whenelectrically powered to emit light, emit near infrared light. Anelectronic switch is operable in an open state or in a closed state.When the electronic switch operates in the open state, electricalcurrent provided by the current driver passes through a first subset ofLEDs of the plurality of LEDs and a second subset of LEDs of theplurality of LEDs, and when the electronic switch operates in the closedstate, electrical current provided by the current driver bypasses thefirst subset of LEDs of the plurality of LEDs and passes through thesecond subset of LEDs of the plurality of LEDs. An electronic controlunit (ECU) comprises electronic circuitry and associated software. Theelectronic circuitry of the ECU comprises an image processor forprocessing image data captured by the camera. With the mountingstructure attached at the interior portion of the vehicle, theelectronic switch operates in the open state when the image datacaptured by the camera is processed at the ECU for an occupantmonitoring function. With the mounting structure attached at theinterior portion of the vehicle, the electronic switch operates in theclosed state when the image data captured by the camera is processed atthe ECU for a driver monitoring function.

The first subset of LEDs of the plurality of LEDs, when electricallypowered to emit light, may emit light at a first angle relative to thecamera, and the second subset of LEDs of the plurality of LEDs, whenelectrically powered to emit light, may emit light at a second anglerelative to the camera, with the first angle being different than thesecond angle.

A vehicular cabin monitoring system comprises an interior rearviewmirror assembly having a mirror head adjustably attached to a mountingstructure, the mounting structure configured to attach at an interiorportion of a vehicle equipped with the vehicular cabin monitoringsystem. The mirror head comprises a mirror reflective element. A camerais accommodated by the mirror head, and a plurality of light emitters,such as, for example, a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs), isaccommodated by the mirror head. A current driver is configured toprovide electrical current to the plurality of LEDs to electricallypower the plurality of LEDs to emit light. The camera and the pluralityof LEDs are disposed within the mirror head and behind the mirrorreflective element, and the camera views through the mirror reflectiveelement and the plurality of LEDs, when electrically powered to emitlight, emit light through the mirror reflective element. The pluralityof LEDs, when electrically powered to emit light, emit near infraredlight. A first subset of LEDs of the plurality of LEDs, whenelectrically powered to emit light, emits light at a first anglerelative to the mirror reflective element, and a second subset of LEDsof the plurality of LEDs, when electrically powered to emit light, emitslight at a second angle relative to the mirror reflective element, withthe first angle being different than the second angle. An electronicswitch is operable in an open state or in a closed state. When theelectronic switch operates in the open state, electrical currentprovided by the current driver passes through the first subset of LEDsof the plurality of LEDs and the second subset of LEDs of the pluralityof LEDs, and when the electronic switch operates in the closed state,electrical current provided by the current driver bypasses the firstsubset of LEDs of the plurality of LEDs and passes through the secondsubset of LEDs of the plurality of LEDs. An electronic control unit(ECU) comprises electronic circuitry and associated software. Theelectronic circuitry of the ECU comprises an image processor forprocessing image data captured by the camera. With the mountingstructure attached at the interior portion of the vehicle, theelectronic switch operates in the open state when the image datacaptured by the camera is processed at the ECU for an occupantmonitoring function. With the mounting structure attached at theinterior portion of the vehicle, the electronic switch operates in theclosed state when the image data captured by the camera is processed atthe ECU for a driver monitoring function.

The first subset of LEDs may comprise at least one LED (such as two ormore LEDs) configured to illuminate a passenger seat region of thevehicle (such as at an angle relative to the camera or mirror reflectiveelement), and wherein the second subset of LEDs comprises at least oneLED (such as two or more LEDs) configured to illuminate a driver seatregion of the vehicle (such as at another angle relative to the cameraor mirror reflective element). The first subset of LEDs may furthercomprise at least one LED (such as two or more LEDs) configured toilluminate a central cabin region of the vehicle (such as wider field ofillumination LEDs as compared to narrower field of illumination LEDs ofthe other LEDs).

Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments canbe carried out without departing from the principles of the invention,which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appendedclaims, as interpreted according to the principles of patent lawincluding the doctrine of equivalents.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A vehicular cabin monitoring system, thevehicular cabin monitoring system comprising: an interior rearviewmirror assembly comprising a mirror head adjustably attached to amounting structure, the mounting structure configured to attach at aninterior portion of a vehicle equipped with the vehicular cabinmonitoring system, wherein the mirror head comprises a mirror reflectiveelement; a camera accommodated by the mirror head; a plurality of lightemitting diodes (LEDs) accommodated by the mirror head; a currentdriver, wherein the current driver is configured to provide electricalcurrent to the plurality of LEDs to electrically power the plurality ofLEDs to emit light; an electronic switch operable in an open state or ina closed state; wherein, when the electronic switch operates in the openstate, electrical current provided by the current driver passes througheach individual LED of the plurality of LEDs, and wherein, when theelectronic switch operates in the closed state, electrical currentprovided by the current driver bypasses at least one individual LED ofthe plurality of LEDs and passes through the remaining individual LEDsof the plurality of LEDs; an electronic control unit (ECU) comprisingelectronic circuitry and associated software; wherein the electroniccircuitry of the ECU comprises an image processor for processing imagedata captured by the camera; wherein, with the mounting structureattached at the interior portion of the vehicle, the electronic switchoperates in the open state when the image data captured by the camera isprocessed at the ECU for an occupant monitoring function; and wherein,with the mounting structure attached at the interior portion of thevehicle, the electronic switch operates in the closed state when theimage data captured by the camera is processed at the ECU for a drivermonitoring function.
 2. The vehicular cabin monitoring system of claim1, wherein the electronic switch is connected in series with a firstsubset of LEDs of the plurality of LEDs, and wherein the electronicswitch is connected in parallel with a second subset of LEDs of theplurality of LEDs, and wherein, when the electronic switch operates inthe closed state, the electrical current provided by the current driverbypasses the second subset of LEDs.
 3. The vehicular cabin monitoringsystem of claim 1, wherein the electronic switch comprises ametal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET).
 4. Thevehicular cabin monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the electronicswitch operates in the open state responsive to a first signal generatedby the ECU.
 5. The vehicular cabin monitoring system of claim 4, whereinthe electronic switch operates in the closed state responsive to asecond signal generated by the ECU.
 6. The vehicular cabin monitoringsystem of claim 1, wherein the ECU enables the current driver when thecamera is capturing image data, and wherein the ECU disables the currentdriver when the camera is not capturing image data.
 7. The vehicularcabin monitoring system of claim 1, comprising a second electronicswitch operable in an open state or a closed state, wherein, when thesecond electronic switch operates in the closed state, the electricalcurrent provided by the current driver bypasses at least one differentLED of the plurality of LEDs than the at least one LED that is bypassedwhen the electronic switch operates in the closed state.
 8. Thevehicular cabin monitoring system of claim 1, wherein, when theelectronic switch operates in the open state, the individual LEDs of theplurality of LEDs are electrically connected in series, and wherein,when the electronic switch is operating in the open state, the at leastone LED of the plurality of LEDs is not electrically connected in serieswith the remaining individual LEDs of the plurality of LEDs.
 9. Thevehicular cabin monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the current driverprovides a first amperage of electrical current when the camera capturesimage data for the occupant monitoring function, and wherein the currentdriver provides a second amperage of electrical current when the cameracaptures image data for the driver monitoring function, and wherein thefirst amperage of electrical current is different than the secondamperage of electrical current.
 10. The vehicular cabin monitoringsystem of claim 1, wherein the plurality of LEDs, when electricallypowered to emit light, emit near infrared light.
 11. The vehicular cabinmonitoring system of claim 1, wherein a first subset of LEDs of theplurality of LEDs is electrically powered to emit light when the imagedata captured by the camera is processed at the ECU for the occupantmonitoring function, and wherein a second subset of LEDs of theplurality of LEDs is electrically powered to emit light when the imagedata captured by the camera is processed at the ECU for the drivermonitoring function.
 12. The vehicular cabin monitoring system of claim11, wherein the second subset of LEDs of the plurality of LEDs, whenelectrically powered to emit light, emits light to illuminate a driver'shead region in the cabin of the vehicle.
 13. The vehicular cabinmonitoring system of claim 12, wherein the first subset of LEDs of theplurality of LEDs, when electrically powered to emit light, emits lightat a first angle relative to the camera, and wherein the second subsetof LEDs of the plurality of LEDs, when electrically powered to emitlight, emits light at a second angle relative to the camera, and whereinthe first angle is different than the second angle.
 14. The vehicularcabin monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the ECU is disposed withinthe mirror head.
 15. The vehicular cabin monitoring system of claim 1,wherein the camera and the plurality of LEDs are disposed within themirror head and behind the mirror reflective element, and wherein thecamera views through the mirror reflective element and the plurality ofLEDs, when electrically powered to emit light, emit light through themirror reflective element.
 16. A vehicular cabin monitoring system, thevehicular cabin monitoring system comprising: an interior rearviewmirror assembly comprising a mirror head adjustably attached to amounting structure, the mounting structure configured to attach at aninterior portion of a vehicle equipped with the vehicular cabinmonitoring system, wherein the mirror head comprises a mirror reflectiveelement; a camera accommodated by the mirror head; a plurality of lightemitting diodes (LEDs) accommodated by the mirror head; a currentdriver, wherein the current driver is configured to provide electricalcurrent to the plurality of LEDs to electrically power the plurality ofLEDs to emit light; wherein the plurality of LEDs, when electricallypowered to emit light, emit near infrared light; an electronic switchoperable in an open state or in a closed state; wherein, when theelectronic switch operates in the open state, electrical currentprovided by the current driver passes through each individual LED of theplurality of LEDs, and wherein, when the electronic switch operates inthe closed state, electrical current provided by the current driverbypasses a first subset of LEDs of the plurality of LEDs and passesthrough a second subset of LEDs of the plurality of LEDs; an electroniccontrol unit (ECU) comprising electronic circuitry and associatedsoftware; wherein the electronic circuitry of the ECU comprises an imageprocessor for processing image data captured by the camera; wherein,with the mounting structure attached at the interior portion of thevehicle, the electronic switch operates in the open state when the imagedata captured by the camera is processed at the ECU for an occupantmonitoring function; and wherein, with the mounting structure attachedat the interior portion of the vehicle, the electronic switch operatesin the closed state when the image data captured by the camera isprocessed at the ECU for a driver monitoring function.
 17. The vehicularcabin monitoring system of claim 16, wherein the electronic switchcomprises a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET).18. The vehicular cabin monitoring system of claim 16, wherein theelectronic switch operates in the open state responsive to a firstsignal generated by the ECU, and wherein the electronic switch operatesin the closed state responsive to a second signal generated by the ECU.19. The vehicular cabin monitoring system of claim 16, wherein the ECUenables the current driver when the camera is capturing image data, andwherein the ECU disables the current driver when the camera is notcapturing image data.
 20. The vehicular cabin monitoring system of claim16, wherein the current driver provides a first amperage of electricalcurrent when the camera captures image data for the occupant monitoringfunction, and wherein the current driver provides a second amperage ofelectrical current when the camera captures image data for the drivermonitoring function, and wherein the first amperage of electricalcurrent is different than the second amperage of electrical current. 21.The vehicular cabin monitoring system of claim 16, wherein the ECU isdisposed within the mirror head.
 22. The vehicular cabin monitoringsystem of claim 16, wherein the second subset of LEDs of the pluralityof LEDs, when electrically powered to emit light, emits light toilluminate a driver's head region in the cabin of the vehicle.
 23. Thevehicular cabin monitoring system of claim 22, wherein the first subsetof LEDs of the plurality of LEDs, when electrically powered to emitlight, emits light at a first angle relative to the camera, and whereinthe second subset of LEDs of the plurality of LEDs, when electricallypowered to emit light, emits light at a second angle relative to thecamera, and wherein the first angle is different than the second angle.24. The vehicular cabin monitoring system of claim 23, wherein the firstsubset of LEDs comprises at least one LED configured to illuminate apassenger seat region of the vehicle.
 25. The vehicular cabin monitoringsystem of claim 24, wherein the first subset of LEDs further comprisesat least one LED configured to illuminate a central cabin region of thevehicle.
 26. A vehicular cabin monitoring system, the vehicular cabinmonitoring system comprising: an interior rearview mirror assemblycomprising a mirror head adjustably attached to a mounting structure,the mounting structure configured to attach at an interior portion of avehicle equipped with the vehicular cabin monitoring system, wherein themirror head comprises a mirror reflective element; a camera accommodatedby the mirror head; a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs)accommodated by the mirror head; a current driver, wherein the currentdriver is configured to provide electrical current to the plurality ofLEDs to electrically power the plurality of LEDs to emit light; whereinthe camera and the plurality of LEDs are disposed within the mirror headand behind the mirror reflective element, and wherein the camera viewsthrough the mirror reflective element and the plurality of LEDs, whenelectrically powered to emit light, emit light through the mirrorreflective element; wherein the plurality of LEDs, when electricallypowered to emit light, emit near infrared light; wherein a first subsetof LEDs of the plurality of LEDs, when electrically powered to emitlight, emits light at a first angle relative to the mirror reflectiveelement, and wherein a second subset of LEDs of the plurality of LEDs,when electrically powered to emit light, emits light at a second anglerelative to the mirror reflective element, and wherein the first angleis different than the second angle; an electronic switch operable in anopen state or in a closed state; wherein, when the electronic switchoperates in the open state, electrical current provided by the currentdriver passes through the first subset of LEDs of the plurality of LEDsand the second subset of LEDs of the plurality of LEDs, and wherein,when the electronic switch operates in the closed state, electricalcurrent provided by the current driver bypasses the first subset of LEDsof the plurality of LEDs and passes through the second subset of LEDs ofthe plurality of LEDs; an electronic control unit (ECU) comprisingelectronic circuitry and associated software; wherein the electroniccircuitry of the ECU comprises an image processor for processing imagedata captured by the camera; wherein, with the mounting structureattached at the interior portion of the vehicle, the electronic switchoperates in the open state when the image data captured by the camera isprocessed at the ECU for an occupant monitoring function; and wherein,with the mounting structure attached at the interior portion of thevehicle, the electronic switch operates in the closed state when theimage data captured by the camera is processed at the ECU for a drivermonitoring function.
 27. The vehicular cabin monitoring system of claim26, wherein the electronic switch operates in the open state responsiveto a first signal generated by the ECU, and wherein the electronicswitch operates in the closed state responsive to a second signalgenerated by the ECU.
 28. The vehicular cabin monitoring system of claim26, wherein the ECU enables the current driver when the camera iscapturing image data, and wherein the ECU disables the current driverwhen the camera is not capturing image data.
 29. The vehicular cabinmonitoring system of claim 26, wherein the current driver provides afirst amperage of electrical current when the camera captures image datafor the occupant monitoring function, and wherein the current driverprovides a second amperage of electrical current when the cameracaptures image data for the driver monitoring function, and wherein thefirst amperage of electrical current is different than the secondamperage of electrical current.
 30. The vehicular cabin monitoringsystem of claim 26, wherein the ECU is disposed within the mirror head.31. The vehicular cabin monitoring system of claim 26, wherein the firstsubset of LEDs comprises at least one LED configured to illuminate apassenger seat region of the vehicle, and wherein the second subset ofLEDs comprises at least one LED configured to illuminate a driver seatregion of the vehicle.
 32. The vehicular cabin monitoring system ofclaim 31, wherein the first subset of LEDs further comprises at leastone LED configured to illuminate a central cabin region of the vehicle.